Game apparatus or puzzle.



No. 807,600. PATENTBD DEO.19,1905.

J K. CLOUSER, JR. GAME APPARATUS OR PUZZLE.

AP BLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1904.

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U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

GAME APPARATUS OR PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed August 29, 1904. Serial No. 222,503.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH K. OLoUsER, Jr.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus or Puzzle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus in which the entiredevice may be held in the hand or manipulated on a flat surface. Its objects are to produce an entertaining divertisement and amusement particularly for young people and incidentally to inculcate a knowledge of the practical effects of gravitation, together With the acquisition of delicacy of movement and firm control of articles held in the hand. I attain these'objects by the peculiarly constructed device hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the entire arrangement, and Fig. 2 a sectional view through the center of the device parallel to one edge.

Similar letters refer to the same parts throughout.

A represents a light rectangular framework, preferably of wood, which forms the foundation or base of the device, the upper portion' or face of which may be called the field.

B refers to a plurality of balls, which are alike in size, weight, and color and in number to the divisions on the field. B represents a similar ball, but of different color and which may be termed the object-ball.

C refers to the ornamental posts at each corner. D and D are the other members of the inclosing guard, which is adapted to maintain the moving balls on the field, but does not interrupt the vision of the operator, the light, or an air-current, should one be employed. These guards are preferably made of wireof suitable size. It will be seen that D is directly over D, the two forming, in connection with the corner-posts, a protective guard-railing adapted to maintain the moving members on the field.

E represents a number of arches or wickets-ordinary semicircular Wire stapleshaving an opening of sufiicient size to readily allow the free passage of any ball whatever. These arches are disposed around a central goal or cage, and they stand so close to each other that a ball within such goal cannot escape except by passing through one of the arches.

F refers to guide-bars arranged diagonally across the field at a distance sufiicient from the corners to permit the balls to pass freely between the outer ends thereof and the corner-posts, and the inner ends are so close to the sides of the arches that the balls cannot pass between.

Immediately under the arches are slight depressions or concavities E. uniform in size and'depth, for the purpose of afiordinga slight retardance to such of the balls as may roll into them, but not deep enough to entirely prevent them from'rolling out by the proper manipulation of the game apparatus or by the impact of another ball rolling against one so.

positioned.

I prefer to make my field square, and it Will be evident that it will have four divisions. Hence I use five balls, four of Which maybe colored blue and white, and the fifth maybe red and white. The blue and White represent the force bent upon capture, and the fifth or red and white the enemy.

The blue and white balls may be so maneuvered by manipulating the game-board that the red and white ball is surrounded within the goal at the center of the field and the game is won.

From the general construction it will be evident that a large number of permutations may be obtained, as Well as the preferred one of securing the object-ball in a position surrounded by the other balls at rest below the arches, and such permutations obtained solely by inclining the base.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A game apparatus comprising five balls, a flat square field, a surrounding open railing, corner-posts, four wickets surrounding a central goal and disposed so close to each other that no ball can pass between them, and four radial guide-bars extending from points between two wickets outward toward the posts but spaced from the latter sufliciently to permit the passage of the balls between the guidebars and posts.

2. A gameapparatus comprising five balls, a flat square field, a surrounding railing, corner-posts, four wickets surrounding a central goal and disposed so close to each other that In testimony whereofIhave signed my name no ball can pass between them, a depression to this specification in the presence of two sub beneath each wicket, and four radial guidescribing witnesses.

bars extending from points between two wick- JOSEPH K. CLOUSER, J R. 5 ets outward toward the posts but spaced from Witnesses:

the latter sufliciently to permit the passage of EDWARD A. SHANE,

the balls between the guide-bars and posts. WARREN E. WILLIS. 

